Frame construction for luggage



Dec. 13, W66 i J. PELAVIN 3,291,267

FRAME CONSTRUCTION FOR LUGGAGE Filed Jan. 26, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1lIllIIIIHIIHHIIIIIHHIIIHIHIHIIHHIHIHHIHIHI Dec. 13, 1966 J. PELAVIN3,291,267

FRAME CONSTRUCTION FOR LUGGAGE Filed Jan. 26, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2lINVENTOR JOSEPH ,DELAI/IN BY Ll/zl l/m 056,5" 11 1 T51 l ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent O 3,291,267 FRAME CONSTRUCTION FR LUGGAGE JosephPelavin, Brooklyn, N.Y., assigner to Droutman Manufacturing Company,Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 26, 1965,Ser. No. 428,033 14 Claims. (Cl. 190-49) The present invention relatesto articles of luggage.

More particularly, the present invention relates to articles of luggagesuch as suitcases which are used for traveling purposes in order tostore articles of clothing as well as other personal articles.

As is well known such articles of luggage are not always carried about-by their owners. When traveling on board vehicles, such as buses,trains, airplanes, or other conveyances, these articles of luggage arestored with other articles of luggage in compartments of the conveyanceswhere the articles of luggage are subjected to considerable stress, andin -addition -the articles of luggage are subjected to considera-blestress when they are handled by the personnel who takes care of thestoring and retrieving of the articles of luggage while they are beingconveyed to a given destination. As a result, relatively rigid articlesof luggage lbecome dented or permanently fractured or bent so that theiruseful life is greatly reduced and in addition their article-carryingcapacity is greatly diminished. Of course, a certain amount of rigidinflexibility is desirable for an article of luggage so that thearticles stored therein will `'be capable of being maintained in a goodcondition. An article of luggage which has the easy yieldability of apillo-w, for example, will provide extremely poor storing conditions forthe articles therein, many of which will undoubtedly become broken ywithsuch an article of luggage.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide anarticle of luggage of the above type which while capable of storingarticles in a perfectly safe condition nevertheless is capable also ofbeing subjected to the stresses which occur during storing an-d otherhandling of the article of luggage without Ebeing permanently damaged orchanged in any way.

In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide an article ofluggage of the above type which while being capable of yielding easilyto shocks or other loads which are encountered during handling andtransportation of the article luggage, nevertheless is capable of safelystoring even relatively fragile articles.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an article ofluggage which is of relatively light weight so that it can easily -beCarried about.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide for yanarticle of luggage of the above type a handle structure 'which is Veryreliably secured to the article of luggage and which at the same timemakes the article of luggage very convenient to carry.

Also, it is an object of the pres-ent invention to provide an article ofluggage which is of a relatively simple and inexpensive constructionwhile at the same time achieving all of the above objects.

Primarily the structure of the invention includes an -article of luggagewhich is provided with relatively liexible walls which can bend quiteeasily Ibut which are connected, in accordance with the invention, witha frame means of substantially greater rigidity arranged so as torestrict the yieldability of the article of luggage to a predeterminedpart thereof, so that articles which are stored at other parts of thearticle of luggage will be safely protected from outside shocks or otherloads.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the -accompanyingdrawings which form part of the application land in which:

3,291,267 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 ICC FIG. 1 is a perspectiveillustration of the article of luggage of the present invention, thearticle of luggage being shown in FIG. l in its closed position;

FIG. 2 shows how the article of luggage of the present invention iscapable of yielding under shocks or other loads;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section-al view, on lan enlarged scale ascompared to FIG. 1, of the article of luggage `of FIG. 1, the section ofFIG. 3 being taken along line 3 3 of FIG. 1 in the direction of thearrows;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the article of luggage ofFIG. 1, also on an enlarged scale as cornpared to FIG. 1, the section ofFIG. 4 being t-aken along line 4--4 of FIG. 1 in the ldirection of thearrows; and

FIG. 5 illustrates part of a pair of relatively rigid frames of thearticle of luggage of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the article of luggage which is shown inFIG. 1 includes a wall means 10 which can Ibe placed either in theclosed position shown in FIG. 1, where the wall means 10 defines anenclosure of a given volume, or in an open position, in a mannerdescribed below, where the wall means 10 gives access to the in-teriorof this enclosure.

The wall means 10 includes a top wall 12 and a bottom -wall 14, a pairof opposed end walls 16 and 18, and a pair of opposed side walls 20 and22. At least the end walls 16 and 18 and `side walls Ztl and 22 aresufiiciently exible so as to yield and bend when the article of luggageis subjected to compressive shocks or loads. The Iarticle of luggage isshown in FIG. 2 in the position which it takes when subjected to certainloads.

As is shown most clearly in FIG. 3, the wall means 10 further includes apair of interior partitions 24 and 26 which define between themselves acentral compartment while the walls 20 and 24 define between themselvesone outer compartment and the walls 22 and 26 define between themselvesanother outer compartment of the -article of luggage.

A slide fastener means is operatively connected to the wall means 10 forreleasably maintaining the latter in Ithe closed position shown in FIG.1, and this slide fastener means includes at least one elongated slidefastener 28 which extends along the top wall 12 substantially midwaybetween the side walls 2i) and 22, this slide fastener 28 extendingdownwardly along the end walls 16 and 18 part of the way toward thebottom wall 14, so that 4in this way v when the slide fastener 28, whichis of a conventional conit a configuration such as that shown in FIG. 2.

In the particular example illustrated the slide fastener means includes,in addition to the central slide fastener 28, a pair of outer slidefasteners 30 and 32 which respectively extend along the entire length ofthe top wall 12, adjacent to the side walls 20 and 22, respectively, andthen downwardly along both end walls 16 and 18 all the way to the bottomwall 14. Thus, the slide fastener 30 will give access to the compartmentbetween the outer wall 20 and the partition 24, while the slide fastener32 will give access to the compartment between the outer wall 22 and thepartition 26.

In accordance with a particular feature of the present invention, anupper frame means 34 and a lower frame means 36 are provided. The upperframe means 34 extends along the top wall 12 and extends downwardlyalong 3 the end walls 16 and 18 only part of the way toward the bottomwall 14. The lower frame means 36 extends along the bottom wall 14 andalong both of the end walls 16 and 18 only part of the way toward thetop wall 12. In accordance with the present invention, the upper framemeans 34 and the lower frame means 36 define between themselves, at theend walls 16 and 18, a substantial free space. Because the upper andlower frame means 34 and 36 are of considerably greater rigidity thanthe end walls and side walls of the article of luggage, when the articleof luggage is subjected to shocks or other loads, the article of luggagewill necessarily yield for the most part in this substantial free space,which is defined at the end walls between the upper and lower relativelyrigid frame means 34 and 36, and this condition is in fact illustratedin FIG. 2.

The upper frame means 34 includes a pair of identical relatively rigidbars 38a and 38b which can be made of metal, for example, and sincethese bars are identical the structure of only one of them is shown inFIG. 5. Thus, as may be seen from FIG. 5, the bar 38 includes anelongated portion 42 which extends along the entire length of the topwall 12 and a pair of elongated end portions 44 which extend part of theway downwardly along the end walls 16 and 18, respectively. Theseelongated end portions 44 terminate in extremeties 46 of reducedthickness which are formed with openings to receive rivets, or the like,by which the bars are connected to the wall means 10.

The lower frame means 36 also includes a pair of identical bars 40a and40b, and in fact these bars may be substantially identical with those ofthe upper frame means 34. Thus, the bars 40a and 40b may be made ofmetal and since they are identical only the structure of the bar 40a isshown in FIG. 5. Thus, the bar 40a includes an elongated portion 48extending longitudinally along the bottom wall 14 and having a pair ofelongated end portions 50 which respectively extend along the end wallsupwardly toward the top wall 12, these elongated end portions 50terminating in extremeties of reduced thickness formed with the bores 52which receive the rivets which serve, in part, to fasten the lower framemeans 36 to the wall means 10.

All of these bars of the upper and lower frame means are inclosed insheaths 54 made of any suitable cloth, plastic, or the like, so that themetal bars of the frame means are not exposed in the interior of thearticle of luggage.

The lower frame means 36 includes a pair of elongated reinforcing strips56 which extend along the bars 40a and 40b respectively, between thesheaths 54 thereof and the lower wall 14 at the interior of theenclosure defined by the wall means 10. These reinforcing strips 56 arerelatively rigid and serve to provide a wider area of support for theframe means 36 on the lower wall 14.

This lower frame means 36 furthermore includes a pair of cross bars 5Swhich are also relatively rigid and made of metal, for example, andthese cross bars 58 extend transversely across the bottom wall 14 at theexterior thereof while being spaced longitudinally thereof, as isapparent from FIGS. 3 and 4. Any suitable screws or the like tix thecross bars 58 to the bars 40a and 40b, and at their lower faces thecross bars 58 xedly carry oorengaging members 60 by which the article ofluggage may rest on a oor or the like.

It is, therefore, apparent that with the above described constructionwhile the article of luggage is capable of yielding quite easily in thespace between the upper and lower frame means, nevertheless in theregion of these frame means the article of luggage will maintain asubstantially unchanged configuration. Thus, the bars 38a and 38b of theupper frame means 34 will reliably prevent any yielding of the articleof luggage at the junction between the top wall 12 and the end walls 16,although there may be some yieldable movement of the bars 38a and 38btoward and away from each other.

The lower frame means 36, on the other hand, provides a very reliablemaintenance of the spacing between the bars 40a and 40b, as a result ofthe connection of these bars to the cross bars 58, and thus ifrelatively fragile articles are situated in the compartment between thepartitions 24 and 26, at the lower part of the article of luggagebetween the bars 40a and 40b, there will be almost no possibility ofdamaging such fragile articles. As is apparent from FIG. 2, the greatestpart of the yieldability and bendability is restricted to the portion ofthe article of luggage which is situated between its top and bottomwalls, while at the region of these top and bottom walls the frame means34 and 36 respectively provide a far greater rigidity which willmaintain articles in the enclosure in relatively good, fully protectedcondition. Thus, articles of clothing can be situated in the spacebetween the top and bottom walls, since such articles of clothing areeasily bendable, while relatively rigid articles which should beprotected from any bending, as well as relatively fragile articles, canbe situated near the top and bottom walls of the article of luggage andextremely fragile articles should, of course, be situated near thebottom wall in the central compartment between the partitions 24 and 26.

The structure of the present invention also includes a handle means 62which is ixed to the upper frame means 34 and extends therefrom to theexterior of the wall means 10 so as to be accessible to the operator.This handle means 62 includes a pair of angle lbrackets 64 fixed, as byscrews 66 (FIG. 4) to each bar 38a and 38b. The pair of angle brackets64 which are fixed to one of these bars are respectively aligned withthe pair of angle brackets which are fixed to the other of the bars, andeach set of aligned angle brackets terminates in elongated outer endportions which are inclined toward each other, as is most clearly shownin FIG. 3. A plurality of metal links 68, in the form of loops whichextend through bores of the Ibracket 64, for example, are respectivelypivotally connected to the outer ends of the Abrackets 64 and theselinks 68 are in turn pivotally connected with the free ends of a pair ofsubstantially U-shaped handle elements 70 which may be made of anysuitable plastic, metal, or the like.

Thus, it can be seen from FIG. 3, that all the operator need do is placehis hand around both of the handle elements 70 in order to raise thearticle of luggage and carry it about. It is to be noted that with thishandle structure when the weight of the article of luggage is suspendedfrom the handle means 62, the bars 38a and 38b tend to move toward eachother. The result is that even if the article of luggage is packed withtightly compressed articles, during carrying of the article of luggageits outer side walls will tend to move toward each other so as to opposeany tendency of the article of luggage to spread outwardly due toarticles which are packed therein. Furthermore, the tendency of the barsof the frame means 34 to move toward each other relieves the centralslide fastener 28 of a considerable amount of stress to which it mightotherwise be subjected by articles between partitions 24 and 26 tendingto push them apart from each other. Also, the connection of the handlemeans directly to the metal bars of the upper frame means 34 provides avery secure and reliable connection which will prevent the handle means62 from tearing away from the wall means 10.

The walls which make up the wall means 10 can be made of any suitableplastic, leather, card-board or the like enclosed or covered by fabricor plastic sheets, or any other suitable known material which isflexible enough at least at the sides and end walls to provide an easybendability of the type indicated in FIG. 2. At the same time, theseside and end walls -of the article of luggag@ 0f th@ PTQSGnt inventionare of sufficient resilience and rigidity to be self-sustaining and toassume substantially planar configurations when the article of luggageis unstressed.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of luggage comprising wall means having a Iclosed positiondefining an enclosure of a given volume and an open position givingaccess to the interior of said enclosure, said wall means including topand bottom walls, a pair of opposed end walls, and a pair of opposedside walls, at least said end and side walls being sufficiently flexibleto provide relatively easy bendability of said end and side walls whenthe article of luggage is subjected to compressive shocks or loads,upper frame means fixed to said top wall and extending therefrom alongsaid end walls part of the way toward said bottom wall, land lower framemeans fixed to said bottom wall and extending therefrom part of the wayalong said end walls toward said top wall, said upper and lower framemeans being of substantially greater rigidity than said side and endwalls and defining between themselves along said end walls a substantialspace to which the greater part of the bending of said end walls isrestricted.

2. An article of luggage `as recited in claim 1 and wherein a handlemeans is fixed to said upper frame means and accessible at the exteriorof said wall means over said top wall thereof.

3. An article of luggage as recited in claim 1 and wherein a slidefastener means is operatively connected to said wall means forreleasably maintaining the latter in said closed position thereof.

4. An article of luggage as recited in claim 3 and wherein said slidefastener means includes at least one slide fastener extending along saidtop wall substantially midway between said side walls and extendingdownwardly along said end walls at least part of the way toward saidbottom wall so that when said slide fastener is opened the opposed sidewalls and the parts of the top wall which are respectively situated on'opposite sides of said slide fastener can be displaced away from eachother to give access to the interior of said enclosure.

5. An article of luggage las recited in claim 1 and wherein a slidefastener means is operatively connected to said wall means forreleasably maintaining the latter in said closed position thereof, saidside fastener means including a central slide fastener extending all theway along said top wall substantially midway between said side walls andfrom said top wall downwardly along said end walls part of the waytoward said bottom wall, and a pair of outer slide fasteners extendingalong said top wall respectively adjacent to said side walls and both ofsaid outer slide fasteners extending from said top wall downwardly alongsaid end walls at lea-st to the region of said bottom wall, and saidwall means including a pair of flexible partitions situated between andextending substantially parallel to said side walls with said centralslide fastener situated between said partitions and said outer slidefasteners being situated outwardly beyond said par-v titions, so thatsaid central slide fastener can be opened to give access to acompartment situated between said partitions and said outer slidefasteners can be opened to give access respectively to outercompartments defined between said partitions and side walls.

6. An article of luggage as recited in claim 1 and wherein each of saidframe means includes at least one elongated substantially rigid barterminating in a pair of end portions which extend angularly from theremainder of said bar respectively along said end walls,

7. An article of luggage as recited in claim 1 and wherein said upperframe means includes a pair of substantially identical elongated barsspaced from and extending parallel to each other, said bars being fixedto and extending along the entire length of said top wall 'and eachterminating in elongated end portions respectively extending downwardlyalong said end walls toward said bottom wall.

8. An article of luggage as recited in claim 7 and wherein a pair ofangle brackets are fixed to each bar and extend therefrom upwardlybeyond said top wall to the exterior `of said enclosure, the anglebrackets of one of said pairs being aligned with the angle brackets ofthe other of said pairs and each set of aligned angle brackets havingouter end portions inclined toward each other, a plurality of linksrespectively connected pivotally to said outer end portions of saidangle brackets for free turning movement relative thereto, and a pair ofhandle members respectively pivotally connected to the pairs of linkswhich are pivotally connected to said pairs of angle brackets.

9. An article of luggage las recited i-n claim 1 and wherein said lowerframe means includes a pair of spaced parallel substantially rigidelongated bars extending along and xed to said bottom wall and beingsubstantially parallel to said side walls, each of said lbarsterminating in a pair of opposed elongated end portions extendingupwardly along said end walls, respectively, toward said top wall.

10. An article of luggage yas recited in claim 9 and wherein said lowerframe means further includes a pai-r 0f cross bars extending parallel toeach other transversely across said lbottom wall and being spaced fromeach other longitudinally of said bottom wall, said cross bars beingfixed to said bars which extend longitudinally along said bottom wall.

11. An article of luggage as recited in claim 10 and wherein said barswhich extend longitudinally along said bottom wall are situated at theinterior of said enclosure and said cross bars are situated at theexterior of said enclosure so that said bottom wall is situated betweensaid cross bars and said bars extending longitudinally of said bottomWall.

12. An article of luggage as recited in claim 11 and wherein a pair ofelongated reinforcing strips extend longitudinally along said bottomwall between the latter and said bars which extend longitudinally alongsaid bottom wall in said enclosure.

13. An article of luggage as recited in claim 11 and wherein a pluralityof floor-engaging members are fixed to said cross bars at the exteriorof said enclosure for engaging a floor or the like.

14. An article of luggage as recited in claim 1 and wherein said sideand end walls, while of sufficient flexibility to bend under stress,nevertheless are of sufficient rigidity and resilience to beself-standing and assume substantially planar configurations,respectively, when unstressed.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,716,473 7/ 1955Droutman 190-49 2,718,943 9/ 1955 Braverman 190-41 2,893,523 7/ 1959Mitchell 190-41 FRANKLIN T. GARRETI, Primary Examiner.

1. AN ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE COMPRISING WALL MEANS HAVING A CLOSED POSITIONDEFINING AN ENCLOSURE OF A GIVEN VOLUME NAD AN OPEN POSITION GIVINGACCESS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID ENCLOSURE, SAID WALL MEANS INCLUDING TOPAND BOTTOM WALLS, A PAIR OF OPPOSED END WALLS, AND A PAIR OF OPPOSEDSIDE WALLS, AT LEAST SAID END AND SIDE WALLS BEING SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLETO PROVIDE RELATIVELY EASY BENDABILITY OF SAID END AND SIDE WALLS WHENTHE ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE IS SUBJECTED TO COMPRESSIVE SHOCKS OR LOADS,UPPER FRAME MEANS FIXED TO SAID TOP WALL AND EXTENDING THEREFROM ALONGSAID END WALLS PART OF THE WAY TOWARD SAID BOTTOM WALL, AND LOWER FRAMEMEANS FIXED TO SAID BOTTOM WALL AND EXTENDING THEREFROM PART OF THE WAYALONG SAID END WALLS TOWARD SAID TOP WALL, SAID UPPER AND LOWER FRAMEMEANS BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER